1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a cleaning element for an image-forming apparatus, a charging device, a process cartridge and an image-forming apparatus.
2. Related Art
As charging devices for image-forming apparatuses such as copying machines or printers which adopt an electrophotographic system, charging devices having a contact charging system in which an image retainer is charged by directly contacting an electroconductive roll-shaped charging element with the image retainer have been conventionally used.
Since the charging element constantly contacts the image retainer in such charging devices having a contact charging system, the surface of the charging element becomes dirty due to adhesion of toner components, paper powder and the like.
On the other hand, a cleaning system in which surface blots on a charging element are scraped off by contacting a plate-shaped brush or sponge with the surface of the charging element is proposed. Alternatively, a cleaning system in which a roll-shaped cleaning element is brought into contact with the surface of a charging element is also proposed.
Furthermore, charging roller cleaners made from a foamed resin or a foamed rubber have been proposed and used gradually in recent years.